On Tuesday night, the Clemson basketball team will play their final home game of the season, facing the Syracuse Orange at Littlejohn Coliseum.
Tuesday’s contest has a lot to advertise heading into the matchup. A bounce-back win is what Clemson head coach Brad Brownell and his team want, following a disappointing loss to Notre Dame this past weekend.
With it being the final home game, it is Senior Night, where an experienced Clemson (20-9, 10-8 ACC) team will see a few of their teammates play their final game in front of a home crowd.
One of whom is Clemson center PJ Hall, who has been looking forward to this day since he stepped foot on campus during the 2020/2021 season. The Spartanburg, South Carolina standout will leave it all out on the court tonight, playing in front of the school he grew up following.
“It feels like it was yesterday. It’s been an incredible experience here playing for coach Brownell,” Hall said. “It’s been the best experience [and] the best decision of my basketball career. I can’t thank this program, city, team, school, everything enough.”
Two other players who also look to be recognized are guards Joe Girard III and Chase Hunter. While both are fifth-years, the game means more for Girard, who will play against his former team for the second time this season. He had 18 points against the Orange in his first game back to upstate New York and will look for a similar performance this week.
Hunter, on the other hand, is looking to bounce back from a four-point performance against Notre Dame. The redshirt senior has found a more consistent role as of late, scoring ten or more points in the last six contests before their loss to the Irish.
But if somebody would want to spoil the Senior Night festivities on Tuesday night, it would be Syracuse.
Since their loss to the Tigers on Feb. 10, the Orange (20-10, 11-8 ACC have won five of their last six, including wins over No. 7 North Carolina, NC State and Virginia Tech. They currently sit half a game ahead of Clemson, Pittsburgh, and Wake Forest for fourth place in the ACC, which is important for the double-bye in the ACC Tournament, which is set to take place next week.
This is the team’s last game of the regular season, with a win putting the team a game ahead of the other three, and guaranteeing only a singular bye for the Tigers.
Head coach Adrian Autry and his team put this game as a must-win for their NCAA Tournament hopes. The Orange is currently not in the field of 68, not even receiving a consideration nod by ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi. A win away from home against an NCAA Tournament team, like Clemson, would change that.
The Tigers are going to have to look out for the standout backcourt of JJ Starling and Judah Mintz if they want to close out their home games with a win this season. Mintz leads the team in scoring with 18.7 points a night, coming off of a three-game stretch with 20 points scored or more.
On the other hand, Starling has scored in double-digits over the last 14 contests for Syracuse, averaging 13.6 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. He finished with a tied team-high in their first meeting with the Tigers, scoring 16 points in the loss.
Tipoff is set for 7:00 pm and the game will be broadcast on ESPN2.
